Shen Qingqiu was a quick learner. Initially, the electric scooter jerked and wobbled a bit, but soon she managed to ride it smoothly. Consequently, Xiao Muyu didn’t need to hold onto her waist anymore.
Xiao Muyu, seated behind Shen Qingqiu, watched her as they rode. The scooter glided along the road in the warm morning sun and turned into a street lined with plane trees on both sides.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on Shen Qingqiu’s hair and clothes, making her seem as if she was glowing. Along the way, there were even birds chirping, creating a serene and idyllic atmosphere that made one forget they were at the gateway to purgatory.
“Have you never ridden an electric scooter before?” Xiao Muyu asked, smiling and unable to suppress her curiosity.
Shen Qingqiu turned her head slightly, causing the scooter to wobble again. She quickly faced forward and said seriously, “Of course, I’ve ridden one before. Am I not doing well now?”
Xiao Muyu chuckled softly, a light hum of agreement escaping her nose. “Yes, you’re doing quite well. You’ve got the hang of it so quickly.”
Shen Qingqiu didn’t want to argue further and simply smiled. “Then hold on tight. I’m going to speed up.”
After commandeering the agent’s scooter, Shen Qingqiu drove straight to Sunset Mansion with Xiao Muyu. Standing at the entrance of the community, Shen Qingqiu took out her phone and made a call.
“We’ve arrived. Hurry over, or I won’t be responsible for your scooter’s safety.”
She hung up decisively and stood at the entrance, her legs crossed, exuding a relaxed and lazy demeanor.
Xiao Muyu glanced at her. At that moment, Shen Qingqiu looked like a lazy cat, seemingly devoid of energy but radiating an indescribable charm. With her height and long legs, she stood there like a model.
Zhuo Minghang arrived quickly. After getting out of a taxi, he wore a look of frustration and helplessness.
“Let’s go.” He swiped his access card to enter the community, still feeling the sting of having spent sixty gold coins on the taxi fare. Though not a large amount, it added to his already tight budget.
“The environment here is really nice, though there are rumors it’s quite eerie. Honestly, if it didn’t affect the dungeon runs, this place would be a real bargain.”
Leading them to Building 4, Zhuo Minghang took them into the elevator and pressed 18.
“This unit is 1804. Several tenants have lived here, but they all reported strange occurrences, like the lights turning on by themselves at night and food disappearing from the fridge without reason.”
“At night, you can hear someone walking around. The original residents here don’t dare to live in the place. There were quite a few players before, but strangely enough, none of them returned after going into the dungeon. Over time, the place has remained empty.”
Zhuo Minghang hesitated for a moment, then said, “I’ll just show you the place. It’s really haunted, and it’s not worth risking your safety just to save some money. I’ll keep an eye out for other options for you.”
Xiao Muyu looked at him but said nothing. Instead, Shen Qingqiu stared at him before letting out a mocking laugh.
“I’m not trying to scare you. Anything can happen here.” Zhuo Minghang opened the door to reveal a clean and tidy interior. Sunlight streamed in from the balcony, giving the apartment a natural glow.
The two-bedroom apartment was simply and elegantly decorated with a well-planned layout. It was indeed quite nice.
Xiao Muyu glanced around and walked through the two rooms. She had to admit, the place felt very comfortable.
Shen Qingqiu also wandered around, and after looking at everything, she looked at Xiao Muyu, her eyes twinkling as she lifted her chin.
Xiao Muyu lowered her gaze and asked Zhuo Minghang, “This apartment has been empty for a long time, hasn’t it?”
Zhuo Minghang was taken aback. “Ah, yes, it’s been empty for six months. The landlord recently had it cleaned and asked us to find tenants.”
“Then tell the landlord to lower the price a bit more, and I’ll take it.”
Zhuo Minghang was stunned. “Are you sure? This place is really unlucky. Even players have had incidents here. Since we’re from the same place, I still suggest…”
“Maintaining listings like this must earn you a decent commission, right?” Xiao Muyu interrupted, changing the topic.
Zhuo Minghang paused and nodded. “We charge the landlord three months’ rent as a commission. I can also charge you one month’s rent.”
“Then we’ll take it. And to boost your performance, we won’t charge you the one-month commission.” Shen Qingqiu glanced at him. Though her tone was playful, her gray eyes made it clear she was serious.
Signing a contract for the least likely property on his first day was mind-blowing for Zhuo Minghang. This was bold beyond belief.
“Just be careful. If there’s really something unclean here, you’ve seen plenty of that in the dungeons. It’s best to handle it beforehand, rather than wait until you’re in the dungeon…” He trailed off, unsure of what exactly haunted the place, but he felt he should warn them.
“Hey, you’re Zhuo Minghang, right?” Shen Qingqiu asked as they were about to leave.
“Yeah? Yes, why?”
“Nothing, just be on time this afternoon so we can sign the contract.”
“Sure.” Zhuo Minghang’s expression was complicated.
After he left, Shen Qingqiu looked at Xiao Muyu and smiled. “Why did you decide so quickly? Zhuo Minghang seemed genuine in his warning. Aren’t you worried?”
Xiao Muyu glanced at her calmly. “You didn’t see your own expression. After looking at five places, this was the first time you seemed genuinely satisfied.”
Shen Qingqiu couldn’t help but laugh sweetly. “If you don’t agree, we won’t stay.”
Xiao Muyu casually replied, “Why wouldn’t I agree? It’s cheap—6400 gold coins a month, compared to your 18000 a month. It’s much more economical.”
Shen Qingqiu didn’t argue further, recognizing that Xiao Muyu agreed mainly because she seemed happy with the place.
“Besides, Zhuo Minghang doesn’t seem like a dishonest person. There’s no reason for him to warn us if he didn’t think it was necessary. So, aren’t you afraid?”
Shen Qingqiu was indeed satisfied with the apartment but wasn’t blindly confident. With such rumors, there must be some truth to them.
“What’s there to fear? Even though this world is full of supernatural dungeons, I don’t think a game’s outcome depends on the feng shui of a house. If people failed in the dungeon because of this house, it means there’s something here that affects the dungeon.”
“An entity in the resting area of Skynet affecting dungeon outcomes? That’s more interesting than the house itself. It either means the system overlooked something or allowed it to exist. If it’s the former, it’s intriguing. If it’s the latter, it’s a significant feature. Either way, it’s worth exploring.”
Xiao Muyu’s reasoning was clear and well thought out, showing she wasn’t afraid.
“Besides, if it’s just psychological, saving on rent is a bonus. And why should I be afraid with you around?”
Initially, Shen Qingqiu felt a bit down thinking Xiao Muyu chose the apartment for practical reasons, but hearing the last part made her inexplicably happy.
She couldn’t help but admire Xiao Muyu’s thoroughness. “How does your brain work?”
Xiao Muyu glanced at her. “Is that a compliment?”
Shen Qingqiu laughed and walked backward, facing Xiao Muyu. “Of course, it’s a compliment. I thought I was smart, but compared to you, I’m just an ordinary person.”
Xiao Muyu tilted her head. “Really? Miss Ordinary, is your interest in this apartment only because it suits your picky nature?”
Shen Qingqiu blinked. “I admit, it’s not. But my curiosity and intuition don’t compare to your clear, logical analysis.”
She walked beside Xiao Muyu, saying, “You know, my feelings for you go beyond admiration. Remember when I said many people here have gone to extremes—struggling in dungeons, living in despair, indulging in fantasies when they return?”
“I understand them, but I won’t be like them, falling in love here. However, I suddenly think maybe there can be an exception.”
Xiao Muyu was stunned for a moment, then her expression turned indifferent: “What are you trying to say?”
“If it’s you, I wouldn’t mind being reckless. That’s what I said before.” Shen Qingqiu lowered her head, then looked up again, her gray eyes focused on Xiao Muyu, her face, and finally her eyes.
Her radiant face was serious, with a gentle smile, and she continued, “I was just teasing you then, but now, Xiao Muyu, I feel if it’s with you, it shouldn’t be called reckless. It should be called enjoyable.”
“Is there a difference?” Xiao Muyu didn’t look at her. After averting her gaze, she walked straight towards the exit of the neighborhood, her aura cold and her steps brisk.
Shen Qingqiu noticed her change. She didn’t speak immediately, but walked a few steps to catch up, then said seriously, “To me, there’s a big difference.”
“Are you angry?” She asked.
Xiao Muyu frowned slightly, “Not really, but Shen Qingqiu, I don’t have…”
Shen Qingqiu smiled and raised her hand to stop her from continuing, “Alright, I understand, you’re not interested in me now. I didn’t say you have to respond in any way. As adults, aside from some hormones, sometimes reason and interests are more important, especially between us.
I just wanted to ask, in your smart and rational mind that seems not like an ordinary person’s, is there a possibility that one day, there might be a place for someone as unusual as me?”
Xiao Muyu stopped at this point. She turned around and looked at Shen Qingqiu, just staring at this woman who had forcefully barged into her life path from the beginning. After a while, she smiled faintly, “Maybe, but when will you truly put me in your heart, and not just in your mind?”
Shen Qingqiu’s smile completely disappeared. She felt that this overly clever person was hinting at something, even touching on something hidden deep within her heart.
However, before Shen Qingqiu could ask or think further, a delighted voice interrupted this strange atmosphere.
“Miss Shen, Miss Xiao!”
The two of them turned their heads simultaneously, seeing a fresh-faced girl in a white shirt and jeans, her slightly cool features unable to hide her surprise and joy, staring straight at them.
Seeing her, Xiao Muyu’s expression softened a bit, “Su Jin.”
The girl was none other than Su Jin, Xiao Muyu’s teammate from her second instance, “Phantom Lamp Counting.”
That instance had left a deep impression on both Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu. Similarly, they both had a good impression of Su Jin, genuinely considering her a comrade who supported each other through challenges.
Su Jin obviously didn’t expect to see Shen Qingqiu and Xiao Muyu here. She hurried over, her eyes filled with joy.
“You guys, what brings you here?”
“Oh, we just finished an instance and have a longer break, so we wanted to change our place of residence and came to rent a house.” Xiao Muyu didn’t hold back, speaking truthfully.
“Rent a house?” Su Jin’s expression changed slightly, “Don’t tell me it’s that one in Building 4, Unit 2?”
Shen Qingqiu smiled faintly, “It seems its bad reputation is well-known.”
Su Jin wanted to say more, but Xiao Muyu interrupted her, “Since we’ve run into each other, let’s catch up and chat.”
Su Jin was a bit puzzled but somewhat relieved, thinking Xiao Muyu, being so smart, must have realized something was wrong with that house.
“Alright, I’m currently living with Zuo Tian and Chen Kaijie. We just got out of an instance. They’ll be happy to see you too.”
Su Jin had regained her calm but was evidently still very happy.
“You’ve teamed up.” Shen Qingqiu had already guessed this, and her statement was not a question.
“Not yet. We agreed that if we survived the instance, we’d consider forming a team.”
Shen Qingqiu smiled slightly, understanding that they were ready to team up. She glanced at Xiao Muyu, who was also looking at her, both clearly understanding each other.
From the moment Xiao Muyu mentioned Sunset Pavilion and started pondering, Shen Qingqiu knew she had other plans.
Author’s note: So, dear readers, do you know what Xiao meant by putting her in her heart rather than in her mind?
Xiao: Not interested.
Slap!
Xiao: No desire.
Slap, slap!
